Sunday, January 6, 2008

on a serious note...

I'll admit it. I suffer from eco-anxiety, a concern for (and fear of) our environmental future. It started a while back as a mildly unsettled feeling when reading National Geographic and Scientific American articles; but, with the emergence of more data and increasingly clear scientific consensus on climate change, it has turned into flat-out worry.

I don't like politics and this is not a political blog. But. As I have been watching the debates and listening to the presidential candidates it strikes me that this next president will, realistically, have the last chance to avert catastrophic climate change. There is no longer time for us to wait out another administration apathetic to the environment. The challenge before us will be to elect someone who "gets it" and support the level of commitment needed to address this issue. Because if we don't, all other issues at some point become moot.

To see where the top six candidates stand on global warming, click here.

That's why I'm voting for Obama. He called for 50 mpg on milage in cars, and he's not going to be the pawn of the oil companies. New times, new generation, new leader.

Here's a message to "guest Larry" who visited LPC in the past. Who will probably never read this, but I'm going to enjoy the vent. First off, being a chemical engineer doesn't give you any merit to open our mouth about environmental issues that you don't understand. Second, Michael Crichton is also not an authority on global warming. He's an author. That writes fiction. Finally, and thankfully, your time is over.

Oh yeah, and Al Gore and the IPCC won the Nobel Prize. Deal with it, Larry.

I want to vote for Obama, but I just think he needs a few more years in the Senate and more experience....I wish he had waited until 2016. we could elect a good enough democrat this time and then him in 8 years - providing this country with some solid leadership for a long while.

I really want to vote for Clinton - I think she is very smart and savvy and gets the political world And therefore can still be an agent for change, even though she is considered part of the "old" guard...(sometimes we women can't won for trying...)...

But I also really like Richardson. He has the right idea on immigration issues, environmental issues, etc. and he has experience, global experience.

What I really care about: the war, the environment, the economy, and issues of social justice for the marginalized in this world...like health care, education, and who can live in this country and how they can get here legally....